Low-Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
⏲ ~65 min total · prep 14 · cook 44 · 4 servings
Dinner⏱ 45 min total🔥 0.0g net carbs⚡ ≈517 kcal/serving~2% of calories from carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/5843765-859a041571af49349f3990885915b428.jpg)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (80/20)
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Lay the bacon in a cold 12-inch skillet, turn the heat to medium, and render 8-10 minutes, flipping once, until deeply crisped. Drain on paper towels, then crumble; keep 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan.
- Brown the beef in the bacon fat over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains. Drain the excess fat, then stir in the mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Spread the seasoned beef in an even layer in the baking dish and scatter the crumbled bacon over it.
- Whisk the eggs, heavy cream, and softened cream cheese in a bowl until completely smooth — beat the cream cheese first if it's still lumpy, or the custard will bake with white streaks.
- Pour the custard evenly over the beef and bacon, then shower the top with all but 1/2 cup of the cheddar.
- Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, until the center no longer sloshes when you shake the dish and the cheese on top has browned spots.
- Rest 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares so the custard slices instead of sliding.
Why this recipe works
- Zero net carbs 0.0g net carbs a serving, from beef, bacon, cheddar, eggs, and cream. Nothing in the pan carries a starch, so there is nothing to count.
- Bacon fat kept in play One tablespoon of rendered bacon fat stays in the skillet, and the beef browns in it. That single spoonful is why the meat layer tastes like burger night, not boiled beef.
- A custard, not a sauce Eggs, heavy cream, and softened cream cheese bake into a layer that sets and slices. It is what turns loose toppings into squares you can eat with a fork.
Tips for making this recipe well
Start bacon in a cold pan
Lay the slices in before the burner goes on. Cold-start bacon renders slowly and crisps evenly instead of seizing.
Drain the beef properly
After the beef browns, pour off the excess fat before it hits the dish. Skip that and the finished squares sit in grease.
Beat the cream cheese first
If it is still lumpy in the whisked custard, beat it alone until smooth, then add the eggs. Lumps bake in as white streaks that never blend.
The shake test
At 25 to 30 minutes, nudge the dish with an oven mitt. A center that sloshes goes back in; a still center with browned cheese spots on top is done.
Rest before the knife
Five to ten minutes off the heat lets the custard firm, so squares cut clean instead of sliding.
Serving suggestions
Cut it into squares like burger-night lasagna and set out the usual suspects: pickles, diced tomato, a swirl of mustard. The reserved half cup of cheddar melts nicely over a warm square at the table. At 0.0g net carbs, the sides get to be the carbs, so a green salad or roasted broccoli rounds the plate out. Leftovers cut cold from the pan make a solid breakfast.
Storage and meal prep
Squares keep 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in a covered skillet or a moderate oven until warmed through. The custard tightens a little each day, which is normal for egg-based dishes. Freeze portions up to 2 to 3 months, well wrapped; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Skip the microwave when you can, because low and slow keeps the custard tender.
Variations worth trying
- Burger style Stir a quarter cup of sugar-free ketchup into the beef along with the mustard.
- Jalapeno bacon version Cook a sliced jalapeno with the beef and top with pepper jack instead of cheddar.
- Half and half Swap half the beef for ground sausage and pull the added salt back a little.
Frequently asked questions
How can the net carbs be zero?
Every ingredient on the list is meat, cheese, egg, cream, mustard, or spice, and none of those carry measurable sugar. The 0.0g figure follows from that list.
Can I assemble it the night before?
Yes. Build it through the custard and cheese, cover, and refrigerate overnight; a cold dish needs a few extra minutes in the oven.
Why are there white streaks in my custard?
Cream cheese that never fully blended. Soften it properly and beat it smooth with the eggs and cream before the pour.
What temperature should it reach?
Egg custards are done at 165°F, and the shake test usually agrees. If you use a thermometer, aim the probe at the center, not the cheese layer.
Can I use pre-crumbled bacon?
You lose the tablespoon of bacon fat the beef browns in, and that fat is doing real work. Frying your own takes about 10 minutes and funds the whole flavor base.
Related keto recipes
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Keto Food Ideas earns from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Nutritional values are estimates. Recipes are developed with AI assistance and reviewed by our editors before publishing.
← More Dinner recipes · Home
